The Book of Daniel

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The novel centers on Daniel Isaacson, a young man whose parents were executed for attempting to steal atomic secrets for Russia. Years after their deaths, he struggles to adjust to his past. Despite building a new life with a loving wife and a son, he remains consumed by anger. In the quiet of Columbia University's library, where he is meant to write his Ph.D. dissertation, Daniel instead crafts a deeply personal confession about his relationships with his wife, foster parents, and radical sister, Susan. His narrative weaves together memories of significant events: riding a bus to a controversial concert, witnessing the FBI arrest his father, attending rallies for his parents' innocence, and visiting them in prison. The work also serves as an investigation, featuring interviews with those who knew his parents and documenting his discoveries in the library. It critiques the various figures involved in his family's case—lawyers, police, informers, and friends. Rich in diverse characters, from immigrant grandmothers to McCarthy-era radicals and anti-war hippies, the story spans a quarter-century of American life post-World War II. It explores the complexities of Left politics, childhood emotions, and the intricate dynamics of guilt and innocence, as well as the connections between individuals and their nations.